PMHNPs provide psychiatric patients with high-quality care customized to their specific needs. It’s a difficult profession to get into, requiring years of education.
There are multiple ways for people to get into PMHNP programs.
In this article, we take a look at some of the different educational paths that can be taken to land a career in the world of PMHNPing.
Table of Contents
What is a PMHNP?
Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners provide a wide range of medical services for patients who require psychiatric treatment.
Operating in much the same capacity as a general practitioner doctor, they are even able to make diagnoses and prescribe medication in certain parts of the country.
It’s a difficult line of work, with PMHNPs encountering significant physical, emotional, and mental strain every day they go into work. Still, for the right candidate, it is a good way to make a difference in people’s lives while enjoying a rewarding career in medicine.
Below, we highlight the educational background you might need to start pursuing your PMHNP program online.
The Job Market
It’s a good time to become a PMHNP. The median salary in many parts of the country surpasses six figures, the need for PMHNPs has soared in recent years, and most experts expect it will continue to climb by up to 30% over the next few years.
The demand for PMHNP owes partially to the “great resignation” the American healthcare system as a whole has experienced since the start of the pandemic. Hospitals everywhere are understaffed and have grown desperate to fill open positions. As a result, both pay and benefits for nurses in every discipline have become more competitive.
It’s also worth noting that the western healthcare system is beginning to emphasize mental health care. As the stigma surrounding mental health concerns begins to shrink, more and more people are getting the care they need.
As a result, PMHNPs have never been in higher demand.
Becoming a nurse
Before you can become a PMHNP you must first be an RN. Becoming a registered nurse usually takes four years, with candidates going through both classwork and dozens of hours of practicum experience in which they work directly within the hospital system.
PPMHNPs are essentially licensed nurses with a Master’s degree in psychiatric patient care, which is why you first need to have completed your undergraduate work to get the degree.
Psychology
Naturally, psychology is an important aspect of what PMHNPs do every day. While it’s vital for doing the job, a background in psychology is not required for getting into a PMHNP program—though it may help make your transcript stand out if you are trying to get into a competitive program.
Nevertheless, prospective PMHNPs are well-advised to consider taking psychology classes in their undergraduate studies. Not only can it help you get into your desired program but it will also make the work easier once you do get in.
The concepts that are tackled in PMHNP programs can be very difficult. Going in with the right vocabulary and background knowledge can go a long way toward making sure you find success with your new program.
Get Experience as a Nurse
More important than any classwork, the majority of PMHNP programs want to first make sure that you have experience in the field of nursing. The usual requirement is to log in for two years as an active registered nurse before applying to the program of your choice.
They do this both to make sure that they are dealing only with serious candidates, and because it helps guarantee that the prospective degree candidates are cut out for the career ahead of them. Hospitals everywhere are experiencing nursing shortages because RNs are churning out into new career paths. By getting experience as a nurse, you can get a better idea if psychiatric nursing is the right career path for you.
It is possible to circumnavigate the required background programs by seeking special wavers, or by finding programs that don’t require it at all. Still, you may find it advisable to spend some time as a floor nurse before taking the next step.
Completing the Program
Completing the program usually takes six years from start to finish. This includes time spent getting your RN certification.
Simply getting your PMHNP usually takes around two years, though people who are currently working as a nurse may take longer to complete the requirements depending on how much time they are able to dedicate to school.
